Matt Damon, Casey Affleck shoot scenes in Quincy

QUINCY − Hollywood was in Quincy on Tuesday to shoot the "The Instigators," a heist thriller starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck.

A film crew was outside Malachy's Saloon on Granite Street on Tuesday morning. Quincy police officers blocking traffic said the crew was shooting retakes of scenes shot in March.

In one scene, a Vermont State Police vehicle crashes into a Quincy police cruiser.

In another, a man gets out of what appears to be an old Plymouth Fury, locks the door, and then walks with a slight limp around the corner toward Malachy's Saloon.

Scenes involving Damon and Affleck were shot outside the Squantum Yacht Club at Wollaston Beach.

According to IMDb.com, "The Instigators" is about two robbers and a therapist who go on the run after a botched job. The movie, directed by Doug Liman, is in post-production, and it's expected to be released in 2024.

"Film-friendly" Quincy has become a favorite spot for movie producers

Mark Carey, media director for Mayor Tom Koch's office, said crews were here last spring shooting the bulk of the movie's Quincy scenes. Though shot in Quincy, they will be set in Boston.

They returned to shoot “pickups,” or shots filmed after the fact to improve scenes already recorded.

“It’s a great thing,” Carey said. “We stay as film friendly as we can, as long as it doesn’t disrupt the city.”

Carey said movie productions pay residents, businesses and the city well for space and services. For instance, he said "The Instigators" used a Squantum home for hair and makeup Tuesday. The production company also paid Malachy’s to film inside the pub.

Carey said he helped create a “film bureau” within city government about 20 years ago. He said the city has gained an understanding of how to balance the needs of movie producers with those of residents and business owners.

“We’re one of the first (cities) that they call,” Carey said.

While the city welcomes Hollywood productions, there are limits to what Quincy will accommodate.

“We were asked years ago to do a Tom Cruise film,” Carey said. “They wanted to do a huge chase scene on Newport Ave. It didn’t fit. It would have interrupted traffic and caused havoc for a couple of days at least. It’s just not worth it for us to deal with that headache. But if it fits, and we can, we do it.”

Carey said "The Instigators" has been a fit partly because Damon and Affleck have been gracious and generous toward the city. Both are Massachusetts natives.

“When they first came here, they were taking photos with residents and folks who came out,” he said. “That’s the kind of guys they are.”

A partial list of movies shot in Quincy

• "The Departed": Shot in 2006, starring Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jack Nicholson, it grossed $291.5 million at box office. A warehouse shootout was filmed at the Fore River shipyard.

• "Black Mass": Released in 2015, starring Johnny Depp and Benedict Cumberbatch, it grossed $100 million at box office. Scenes in the neighborhood of Whitey Bulger’s girlfriend and Quincy resident Catherine Greig were shot at 786 East Squantum St.

• "The Box": Released in 2009, starring Cameron Diaz, it grossed $33.3 million. According to IMDb, filming took place in Houghs Neck. In particular, a dream sequence was shot at a supermarket on Sea Street, according to the Massachusetts Film Office.

• "The Company Men": Released in 2010, starring Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Costner and Chris Cooper, it grossed $8.1 million at the box office. According to the Massachusetts Film Office, a house on a side street in South Quincy was used for Kevin Costner’s home.

• "The Equalizer": Released in 2014, starring Denzel Washington, it grossed $192 million. Scenes were filmed at the Fore River shipyard.

• "R.I.P.D.": Released in 2013, starring Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds, it grossed $78.3 million. Scenes were shot at the Fore River shipyard.

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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Film crew shoot Matt Damon, Casey Affleck movie in Quincy